Adjustable measuring pour spout

Abstract

A measuring spout for installation on a container that dispenses particulate material. One embodiment of the spout measures and dispenses variable amounts of particulate material. Another embodiment of the spout measures and dispenses a fixed amount of particulate material. The spout comprises a wedge-shaped spout member that pivots through an opening formed in a wall of the container. The opening in the container has a gate which, in the preferred embodiment, acts as the back wall to the spout, separating the particulate material in the spout from the particulate material remaining in the container. Thus, as the spout opens, the front wall moves further away from the back wall, thereby, providing a variably sized chamber depending on how far the spout is opened from the container wall. The particulate material is measured by tilting the container so as to let the contents fill the spout. The particulate material is dispensed by returning the container to its upright position so the particulate material in the spout flows through an opening formed in the spout.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A measuring pour spout assembly comprising: a container for holding a quantity of particulate material, said container including a first wall having an opening therethrough;   a measuring pour spout having a top wall, a pair of side walls, and a front wall having an aperture extending therethrough, said top, side and front walls forming a chamber therebetween for collecting a quantity of particulate material dispensed from said opening of said container, said aperture for dispensing said collected quantity of particulate material from said chamber; and   a mounting mechanism pivotally connecting said measuring pour spout in said opening of said first wall such that a volume of said chamber varies as said front wall of said spout is moved relative to said first wall of said container.   
     
     
       2. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 1 including an indicator means for providing an indication of the volume of the spout. 
     
     
       3. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 2, wherein said indicator means includes an indicia on said spout. 
     
     
       4. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 2, wherein said indicator means includes a plurality of recesses on said spout for engaging a portion of said first wall. 
     
     
       5. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 2, wherein said indicator means includes a plurality of paired projections on said spout, each pair of projections for engaging a portion of said first wall therebetween. 
     
     
       6. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 1, wherein said spout is transparent. 
     
     
       7. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 1, wherein said spout is translucent. 
     
     
       8. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 1, wherein said mounting mechanism includes: a pair of knobs extending from said sidewalls of said spout, and   a pair of recesses formed in said first wall of said container for engaging said pair of knobs.   
     
     
       9. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 1, wherein said spout includes stop members for limiting the movement of said front wall of said spout with relative to said first wall of said container. 
     
     
       10. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 1, wherein an upper edge of said front wall of said spout is of a greater dimension than a lower edge of said front wall such that said side walls of said spout are angled towards one another. 
     
     
       11. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 1, wherein a lower edge of said front wall of said spout is of a greater dimension than an upper edge of said front wall such that said side walls of said spout are angled towards one another. 
     
     
       12. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 1, wherein said spout is mounted in said opening of said container such that said chamber of said spout collects a quantity of particulate material dispensed through said opening when said container is tipped from an upright position and said aperture of said spout dispenses said collected quantity of particulate material when said container is returned to said upright position. 
     
     
       13. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 1 including a support frame connecting said mounting mechanism to said first wall of said container. 
     
     
       14. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 1 including a support frame connecting said mounting mechanism to said first wall of said container. 
     
     
       15. A measuring pour spout assembly comprising: a container for holding a quantity of particulate material, said container including a first wall having an opening and a pair of slots positioned below said opening, said opening and slots defining a cantilevered gate member;   a measuring pour spout having a top wall, a pair of side walls, and a front wall having an aperture extending therethrough, said top, side and front walls forming a chamber therebetween for collecting a quantity of particulate material dispensed through said opening of said container, said aperture for dispensing said collected quantity of particulate material from said chamber; and   a mounting mechanism pivotally connecting said measuring pour spout to said first wall such that said side walls of said spout slidably engage said grooves in said first wall, said chamber of said spout collects particulate material dispensed through said opening of said first wall, and a volume of said chamber varies as said front wall of said spout is moved relative to said cantilevered gate member.   
     
     
       16. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 15 including an indicator means for providing an indication of said volume of said spout. 
     
     
       17. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 16, wherein said indicator means includes an indicia on said spout. 
     
     
       18. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 16, wherein said indicator means includes a plurality of recesses on said spout for engaging a portion of said first wall. 
     
     
       19. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 16, wherein said indicator means includes a plurality of paired projections on said spout, each pair of projections for engaging a portion of said first wall therebetween. 
     
     
       20. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 15, wherein said spout is transparent. 
     
     
       21. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 15, wherein said spout is translucent. 
     
     
       22. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 15, wherein said mounting mechanism includes: a pair of knobs extending from said sidewalls of said spout, and   a pair of recesses formed in said first wall of said container for engaging said pair of knobs.   
     
     
       23. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 15, wherein said spout includes stop members for limiting the movement of said front wall of said spout relative to said cantilevered gate member of said container. 
     
     
       24. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 15, wherein an upper edge of said front wall of said spout is of a greater dimension than a lower edge of said front wall such that said side walls of said spout are angled towards one another. 
     
     
       25. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 15, wherein a lower edge of said front wall of said spout is of a greater dimension than an upper edge of said front wall such that said side walls of said spout are angled towards one another. 
     
     
       26. The measuring pour spout assembly of claim 15, wherein said spout is mounted to said first wall of said container such that said chamber of said spout collects a quantity of particulate material dispensed through said opening when said container is tipped from an upright position and said aperture of said spout dispenses said collected quantity of particulate material when said container is returned to said upright position. 
     
     
       27. A measuring pour spout assembly comprising: a container for holding a quantity of particulate material, said container including a first wall having an opening and a pair of slots positioned below said opening, said opening and slots defining a cantilevered gate member;   a measuring pour spout having a top wall, a pair of side walls, and a front wall having an aperture extending therethrough, said top, side and front walls forming a chamber therebetween for collecting a quantity of particulate material dispensed through said opening of said container, said aperture for dispensing said collected quantity of particulate material from said chamber; and   a mounting mechanism pivotally connecting said measuring pour spout to said first wall such that said side walls of said spout slidably engage said grooves of said container, a volume of said chamber varies when said front wall of said spout is moved relative to said cantilevered gate member, said chamber of said spout collects a measured quantity of particulate material dispensed through said opening of said container when said container is tipped from an upright position, and said aperture of said spout dispenses said measured quantity of particulate material when said container is returned to said upright position.